Sweetness in the Belly: A Saidian and Post Saidain Post-Colonial Reading
Journal Title: International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation - Year 2019, Vol 2, Issue 1
Abstract
This study aims to offer a postcolonial reading of Camilla Gibb’s Sweetness in the Belly based on the critical theory of Edward Said’ Orientalism as well as his advocate, Albert Memmi’s post-post-colonial notions. To that end, the study commences with a detailed explanation of Edward Said’s theory of postcolonial literature considering the descriptions of “orientalism”, “culture and imperialism”, “hegemony”, “othering”. This research also casts light on Sweetness in the Belly with Albert Memmi’s ‘mythmaking’ and ‘nominal generalization’. To commence with, the researcher believes that the character of Lilly as the alter-ego of the writer Camilla Gibb is consciously trying to depict the people of Africa in a positive attitude. However, using the critical theories, the researcher delves into analyzing the novel with a critical Saidian eye and claims that Lilly represents Africans not as the way they really are but, in contrast, as an imaginary construct which consists of some inferior creatures compared to their European counterparts. Furthermore, although Lilly seems to be considering herself as one member of the African community, she is, in fact, making them an “Other” although this process of Othering is depicted in a way that Lilly is both the other and the one who displays others to the reader. The researcher, at this point, turns towards the question of discourse and argues that the colonial discourse causes nominal generalizations and myths about the Africans and Muslims, resulting in their subjugation and suppression.
Authors and Affiliations
Ali Mikaeli, Montakhabi Bakhtvar
Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story as the Play of Absurd and the Themes of Existentialism
This paper investigates the themes of existentialism and absurdity in The Zoo Story, is a master piece play of the absurdity in the mood, where the playwright explores the different themes of existentialism, isolation, l...
Roger Boyle’s The Tragedy of Mustapha and English Restoration Politics
In this article, I argue that Roger Boyle’s The Tragedy of Mustapha (1665) can be considered as an early alarm that warned of the dangerous consequences of the succession crisis in Restoration England. The play represent...
The Role of M-Learning in Decreasing Speaking Anxiety for EFL Learners
This study examines the role of m-learning in decreasing speaking anxiety for EFL learners. The researchers believe there is a relationship between Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) and anxiety. In other words, us...
Translation of English Marked Sentences into Indonesian
This study is aimed at conducting analysis on the linguistic phenomena in the translation of English marked sentences into Indonesian with two major focuses of discussion, namely (1) the types of English marked sentences...
Kennedy’s The Owl Answers (1965): Toward Black Existential Feminism
This article analyzes Adrienne Kennedy’s play The Owl Answers (1965) from a Black Existential-feminist perspective. It dissects the black female protagonist’s identity as a trapped identity. In addition, the article unra...